Flying-boat.



G. H. CURTISS.

FLYING BOAT.

APPLICATION FLLED AUG.I0. I917.

1,289,683, Patented Dec. 31-, 1918.

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e, H. curmss.

FLYING BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I0. I917. 1,289,683, Patented Dec. 31,1918.

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union GLENN H. CURTISS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 CURTISSAEROPLANE AND MOTOR CORPORATION, OF BUFFALO, N EW YORK, A CORPORATION OFNEW YORK.

FLYING-BOAT.

Application filed August 10, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GLENN H. Onn'rrss, a citizen of the United States,reslding at Buflalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Flying-Boats, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to hydroairplanes and more particularly to flyingboats.

The invention is characterized by an improved arrangement of the variousairplane parts. Instead of providing an outrigged tail structure of themultiple beam type but a single beam or spar is provided. At its forwardend the spar is extended into the fuselage or body. Preferably it islocated in the longitudinal vertical plane of the fore and aft axis ofthe machine above the hull and at its rear end is connected with theempenna'ge to serve as a rigid brace for such units thereof as thehorizontal stabilizer and vertical stabilizer and indirectly for thevertical rudder and elevator flaps. The forward extension of the sparmay or may not extend into the engine section of the wing structurealthough the former arrangement is at this time considered preferred. Aspar arrangement thus characterized is especially suited to multiplepowered flying boats of the pusher type for boats of this character aregenerally provided with two or more propellers arranged symmetrically atopposite sides of said axis. Accordingly the spar will interfere in noway .With the operatlon of the propellers although, if carried into theengine section of the wing structure it Wlll enter into and constitute apart of the draft system of the boat. ever to limit the invention to amultiple motor machine or to machines of the pusher ty e as the spararrangement above noted is ad inirably suited to. tractor machines or topusher machines having but a single motor.

Other advantages and improved constructional features will behereinafter set forth and the invention pointed out in the claims tofollow.

Of the drawings:

Figure'l is a side elevation of the improved machine;

Fig. 2 is a top plan v1ew;

Fig. 3 is a front end elevation;

Specification of Letters Patent.

I do not intend how- Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

Serial No. 185,494.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view with the upper supporting surface removed, and

Fig. 5 is a detail of one of the spar fittings.

The nature of the invention is such that its adaptation upon craftotherthan flying boats may be efl'ected readily without deviating fromthe line of invention claimed. One departure obviously within thepurview of this invention is the utilization of the spar or outrigger inconnection with a hydro-aeromachine having a relatively short flotationbody together with a rearwardly and upwardly inclined spar or beam incontinuation of it. Another departure at this time known is thecontinuation of the spar or outrigger forwardly to a point in thevicinity of the forward wing posts, from which point it may be continuedforwardly and diagonally into the hull.

In the selected embodiment of the invention, however, the hull orflotation body 10 comprises the usual fore body 11 and tail 12, thebottom of the former being constructed in hydroplaning form. The bottomof the tail makes with the bottom of the fore body a salient angle. Thisis advantageous in that the body may be rocked fore and aft with a pointin the vicinity of the point of maximum saliency as its axis ofoscillation. Fin excrescencies 13 extend out laterally from the forebody 11 to augment its hydroplaning area.

The supporting surfaces of the craft, designated respectively 14 and 15extend intermediately across the hull 10. Between these surfaces themotor units (two in this instance) 16 are disposed. These motor unitsare located symmetrically at opposite sides i of the fore and aft axisof the body and supof the fore and aft hull axis. From the rear centerwing st 21, in the horizontal plane of the prope ler axes, the spar oroutrigger 22 extends. At its forward end the said spar 22 is fastened byan appropriate fitting 23 constructed to embrace the spar as at 24 andto overlap the rear center post 21 for connection forwardly as at 25with the forwardly and downwardly extending brace 26 which continues thespar diagonally into the hull. The fitting construction is bestillustrated in Fig. 5.

At its after end the spar 22 is appropriately fastened to the horizontalstabilizer 27 of the machine. Said stabilizer 27 is braced from beneathas at 28 to the tail 12 of the hull and tied forwardlyas at 29 to theupper supporting surface 14. The location of the tie means 29 is suchthat the horizontal stabilizer is rigidly supported and bracedeffectually against lateral strains.

- Said tie means 29 diverge forwardly from the stabilizer as illustratedin Fig. 2.

In addition to the horizontal stabilizer 27 the empennage of the craftcomprises a vertical stabilizer 30, a rudder 31, and elevator flaps 32.The spar or outrigger 22 serves primarily as an empennage brace.

By continuing the spar diagonally into the hull atits forward end, bothinertia and thrust strains are well cared for. The cross arran ed wires21 carry the thruststrains latera ly into the rear upper end of thediagonal brace 26 and the spar 22 the inertia strains forwardly to thesame point. In flying, however, the spar 22 is under tension to thusserve as a thrust distributing means of considerable import.

The central location of the spar 22 is such that pusher propellers,designated 33-, may be used and consequently a wider gun fire rangeobtained from the forwardcockpit of the hull without shooting througheither 1. Inan aircraft, superposed supportingv surfacesincluding anengine section, a body, a forwardl inclined brace extended into saidbody rom the engine section, an empennage'rearwardly removed from theengine "section, and a spar extended rearwardly from the upper rear endof the brace for connection with the empennage, the axis of the spar andthe fore and aft axis of the body being in parallelism and verticallyspaced apart.

2. In'an aircraft, superposed supporting surfaces including an enginesection, a longitudinally elongated body, a multiple unit propellingpower plant, pusher propellers driven by the units of the power plant, abrace extended forwardly into the body from the engine section,connections respectively between the power units and the brace, an'empennage mounted at the rear end of the body, and a spar extendedrearwardly in substantial prolongation of the brace for connection withthe empennage to conjointly fuhction asan empennage brace and as athrust distributing unit for the power plant.

3. In an aircraft, superposed supporting surfaces including an enginesection, a longitudinally elongated body, a multiple unit propellingpower plant, pusher propellers driven respectively by the units of thepropelling power plant, an empennage mounted at the rear end, of saidbody, and a single central spar extended rearwardlyfrom the enginesection directly above the fore and aft axis of said body for connectionwith the empennage, the arrangement of the spar being such that thefield of operation of the several propellers lie symmetrically atopposite sides thereof.

4. Man aircraft, a body, supportin surfaces, motors supportedbetween'sai surfaces, a spar extending rearwardly from the enginesection of said surfaces in vertical alinement with the fore and aftaxis of the craft and in horizontal alinement with the propeller axes,an empennage mounted at the rear end of said spar, and pusher propellers forming with said motors the propelling power plant.

5. In an aircraft, a body, supporting surfaces, motors supported betweensaid surfaces, a spar extending rearwardly from the engine section ofsaid surfaces, beds su porting said motors, means intertying ,t 0 motorbeds and the spar, an empennage mounted at the aft end of the spar, andmeans continuing the spar at its forward end diagonally into said body.

6. In anaircraft, a body, supporting sur- I faces, motors supportedbetween said surfaces symmetrically at opposite sides of the fore andaft axis of the craft, a spar extendmg rearwardly from the enginesection of said surfaces in vertical alinement with said axis, a centerwing post interconnecting said surfaces, means intertying the motor bedsand the s'par in the plane of said wing post, and means forwardlycontinuing said spar diagonally into said body.

ircraft, a body,- superposed sup- 7. In an porting sing aces, a centerwing post, a'for- I wardly and downwardly inclined brace connecting atone end with the center Wing post and extended at its opposite endforwardly into said body, an empennage, and a spar connecting with thewing post at its forward and and with the empennage at its rear end, thepoint of connection between the spar and wing post being directlyadjacent to the upper rear end of the forwardly and downwardly inclinedbrace.

8. A flying boat including a'hull, a body having a rearwardly extendingtail portion, an empennage-mounted at the rear end of the tail portion,one of the aerofoils of the empennage being elevated above said tailportion, although said tail portion constitutesits principal support,and a center spar arranged directly above said tail portion forconnection with the empennage at its rear end and for extension intosaid body at its forward end, the axis of the spar being in thelongitudinal vertical plane of the fore and aft axis of the body.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

GLENN H. CURTISS.

